Local cop has fun and games with Man Cave cast

By Meghan Grant

STAFF WRITER |

South Bergenite

Even while the cameras are off, the crew of DIY Network's "Man Cave" show is still hard at work turning a Union Avenue resident and Rutherford police officer's basement into a full fledged male sanctuary.

Rutherford police officer and Carlstadt resident Craig Capoano gets ready to deal at his new poker table courtesy of DIY Network's Man Cave show. Capoano, a wizard Monopoly player and host of his family's game nights, recently had the show renovate his basement into a board game-themed recreation room.

Craig Capoano is known for his board game Sundays, outside of football season of course, and poker nights for his family. Trouble is, his Carlstadt multiple family house lacked proper space. Three years ago he submitted his idea for a board-game themed basement to the Man Cave show, as his basement remained unfinished after he used up the renovation budget on the first floor.

Capoano's grandmother expresses her thanks to Man Cave co-host Jason Cameron for her grandson's new basement in the form of a frisky hug. From left to right are Co-host Tony Siragusa and homeowner Capoano.

"We play some insane Monopoly games," Capoano said.

Then came the call from DIY Network: hosts Tony Siragusa and Jason Cameron were on their way to Carlstadt, news that literally made Capoano jump for joy.

"They really took over the house, there are cameras everywhere," Capoano said. The crew became part of the Capoano family, with dinners at a Clifton bar and grandma's famous macaroni and meatballs after long days working on the basement. Grandma even got a little frisky with the host by tapping him on the bottom, Capoano laughed.

But converting the basement wasn't all fun and games. Staffers only had three days to "man up" a room that didn't even have a staircase and was only accessible by the back door and a ladder. According to Supervising Producer Mike Stafford, a project usually takes a crew of between 20 to 30 people, some of whom are area contractors. For the Carlstadt cave, DIY Network hired a local kegger to fill the number one request of all Man Cave recipients – the bar and a keg to put in it.

"Three staples of a man cave are a bar, big TV and of course the man," Stafford said.

How did Capoano get picked for the show? Show producers look through suggestions submitted by viewers for unique ideas. And submissions have to show a real need for their own space.

Considering the network's do it yourself platform, Capoano had to pick up the tools and pitch in. At the same time, he had to stay clear of what was transpiring down in his man cave, not seeing the renovations until "The Big Reveal." A novice at home improvement projects, he was given some pointers by the hosts for tasks like building table legs.

Off camera, the work continued in the backyard and basement. A licensed contractor and business owner, Cameron stained a table that opens to reveal a poker surface. Siragusa is an NFL field analyst for Fox Sports and former professional player with the Baltimore Ravens during their first Super Bowl victory. Across the yard, he tested his original idea for the room, a "man sized" Connect Four board that hangs on the wall.

"Anyone can have a regular Connect Four board. I put some testosterone in it to juice it up," Siragusa said about the board. The New Jersey native said while he's received offers to host other shows, he joined Man Cave on a mission to help his fellow men.

"I want to help a generation," Siragusa said. "Women and kids tend to take over a house. Every guy needs a man cave." He describes himself as a bit more laid back than his "perfectionist" co-host, who takes longer on projects, trying to make them perfect. No one "cave" sticks out in his mind as his favorite; he loves different elements from each, including a massive media center tent built at Camp Virginia in Kuwait for USO troops.

From Snoop Dog to Michael Strahan, Charlie Sheen to the average Joe, the show has converted basements, extra bedrooms and garages, and even built standalone rooms to help their clients turn their passion into a cave- with themes ranging from wine, hockey, fantasy football, home brewing, muscle cars and beyond, at almost 150 rooms to date.

But in Capoano's Man Cave, it's the game Monopoly that takes center stage. A giant, magnetic Monopoly board dominates the room, the bar is wallpapered with Monopoly money and Monopoly property cards are framed and placed on the wall. Before work began on the man cave, the crew quizzed Capoano on his Monopoly knowledge. "He knows everything about the game, he's really a fanatic," said Stafford.

About half the requests come from women on behalf of their boyfriends or husbands, but Man Cave is more interested in hearing ideas from the guys themselves, Stafford said.

The biggest challenge with the Carlstadt basement was dead space, designer Lindsey Lustrino said. The gutted basement had exposed pipes in the ceiling and old water heaters.

"It was a real disaster down here," Lustrino said. "Now we're going from 0 to 60 in just a week."

Standing outside before the big reveal with his girlfriend, Jenny Tarantino, Capoano said he's amazed at how fast the team has been working. While not a big drinker, he said he'd love to see a bar, big TV, good sound system and a comfortable place to relax.

Just hours later he had all that and more. Every element of the room came from games- playing card pillows, dice-shaped side tables, framed game property cards and Monopoly money in the bar.

Local cop has fun and games with Man Cave cast

Rutherford police officer and Carlstadt resident Craig Capoano gets ready to deal at his new poker table courtesy of DIY Network's Man Cave show. Capoano, a wizard Monopoly player and host of his family's game nights, recently had the show renovate his basement into a board game-themed recreation room.

Even while the cameras are off, the crew of DIY Network's "Man Cave" show is still hard at work turning a Union Avenue resident and Rutherford police officer's basement into a full fledged male sanctuary.

Craig Capoano is known for his board game Sundays, outside of football season of course, and poker nights for his family. Trouble is, his Carlstadt multiple family house lacked proper space. Three years ago he submitted his idea for a board-game themed basement to the Man Cave show, as his basement remained unfinished after he used up the renovation budget on the first floor.

Capoano's grandmother expresses her thanks to Man Cave co-host Jason Cameron for her grandson's new basement in the form of a frisky hug. From left to right are Co-host Tony Siragusa and homeowner Capoano.

"We play some insane Monopoly games," Capoano said.

Then came the call from DIY Network: hosts Tony Siragusa and Jason Cameron were on their way to Carlstadt, news that literally made Capoano jump for joy.

"They really took over the house, there are cameras everywhere," Capoano said. The crew became part of the Capoano family, with dinners at a Clifton bar and grandma's famous macaroni and meatballs after long days working on the basement. Grandma even got a little frisky with the host by tapping him on the bottom, Capoano laughed.

But converting the basement wasn't all fun and games. Staffers only had three days to "man up" a room that didn't even have a staircase and was only accessible by the back door and a ladder. According to Supervising Producer Mike Stafford, a project usually takes a crew of between 20 to 30 people, some of whom are area contractors. For the Carlstadt cave, DIY Network hired a local kegger to fill the number one request of all Man Cave recipients – the bar and a keg to put in it.

"Three staples of a man cave are a bar, big TV and of course the man," Stafford said.

How did Capoano get picked for the show? Show producers look through suggestions submitted by viewers for unique ideas. And submissions have to show a real need for their own space.

Considering the network's do it yourself platform, Capoano had to pick up the tools and pitch in. At the same time, he had to stay clear of what was transpiring down in his man cave, not seeing the renovations until "The Big Reveal." A novice at home improvement projects, he was given some pointers by the hosts for tasks like building table legs.

Off camera, the work continued in the backyard and basement. A licensed contractor and business owner, Cameron stained a table that opens to reveal a poker surface. Siragusa is an NFL field analyst for Fox Sports and former professional player with the Baltimore Ravens during their first Super Bowl victory. Across the yard, he tested his original idea for the room, a "man sized" Connect Four board that hangs on the wall.

"Anyone can have a regular Connect Four board. I put some testosterone in it to juice it up," Siragusa said about the board. The New Jersey native said while he's received offers to host other shows, he joined Man Cave on a mission to help his fellow men.

"I want to help a generation," Siragusa said. "Women and kids tend to take over a house. Every guy needs a man cave." He describes himself as a bit more laid back than his "perfectionist" co-host, who takes longer on projects, trying to make them perfect. No one "cave" sticks out in his mind as his favorite; he loves different elements from each, including a massive media center tent built at Camp Virginia in Kuwait for USO troops.

From Snoop Dog to Michael Strahan, Charlie Sheen to the average Joe, the show has converted basements, extra bedrooms and garages, and even built standalone rooms to help their clients turn their passion into a cave- with themes ranging from wine, hockey, fantasy football, home brewing, muscle cars and beyond, at almost 150 rooms to date.

But in Capoano's Man Cave, it's the game Monopoly that takes center stage. A giant, magnetic Monopoly board dominates the room, the bar is wallpapered with Monopoly money and Monopoly property cards are framed and placed on the wall. Before work began on the man cave, the crew quizzed Capoano on his Monopoly knowledge. "He knows everything about the game, he's really a fanatic," said Stafford.

About half the requests come from women on behalf of their boyfriends or husbands, but Man Cave is more interested in hearing ideas from the guys themselves, Stafford said.

The biggest challenge with the Carlstadt basement was dead space, designer Lindsey Lustrino said. The gutted basement had exposed pipes in the ceiling and old water heaters.

"It was a real disaster down here," Lustrino said. "Now we're going from 0 to 60 in just a week."

Standing outside before the big reveal with his girlfriend, Jenny Tarantino, Capoano said he's amazed at how fast the team has been working. While not a big drinker, he said he'd love to see a bar, big TV, good sound system and a comfortable place to relax.

Just hours later he had all that and more. Every element of the room came from games- playing card pillows, dice-shaped side tables, framed game property cards and Monopoly money in the bar.